Lock for adjustable back-frames of account-books, ledgers &amp;c.



Patented Aug. 27, 190m.

Jil

A. O. HULOUIST.

LOCK FOB ADJUSTABLE BACK FRAMES OF ACCOUNT BOOKS, LEOGERS, &c.

` (Applicatfion Bled May 9, 1901.)

(No modem y. Fig. 2 is across-section through the back and NrrnnV STATES PATENT Trios.

ANDREWD. HULQUISI, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LOCK FOR ADJUSTABLE BACKFHMES OF ACCOUNT-BOOKS, LEDGERS, &c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,223, dated August 27, 1901.

` Application tied May 9, 1901. semi No. 59,388. (No man.)

To all whom t may concern.' Be it known that I, ANDREW D. HULQUIsT,

xa citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks for Adjustable Back-Frames of Account-Books, Ledgers, duc., of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specication.`

My invention relates to devices for locking the telescopic back-sections of covers of heavy account-books and books of like character in l any position to which it may be necessary to adjust them in order to hold and accommodate the matter it is desired to inclose between said covers.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple gravity-controlled lock which avoids the necessity of both springs or keys and is both economical and durable. This I accomplish by the means hereinafter fully del [scribed and as particularly pointed out in `drawn to a` larger scale.

1 removed from the book.

y" lthe claims.`

` In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective' view of a book embodying my invention.

adjacent portions of the covers of said book Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the position of the book reversed and the coversseparated farther apart. Fig. 4 is an end view of the casing of the lock Fig. 5 is a section of the same, taken on dotted line 5 5, Fig. 2,

` looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

y y In the drawings,A"A represent the covers of a book which are attached in any suitable `:manner to the parallel plates B and C, re-` spectively, of the adjustable back-frame of the saine.` These plates B andO correspond Y i in length to the width of the book and are l each provided with wallsct b, of stiff material,

l Uprojecting at right angles therefromtoward 3 f the other platenext and parallel to their sides and ends, whichareso arranged that the walls of one plate telescope within the other, substantially asshown. These plates are j connected by telescoping tubular posts c c c c,

` p which are usually located on each side of the center of width of the book at suitable intervals apart, and at the saidcenter of width l said plates are connected by the lock which alone forms the subject-matter of my invention.

The purpose of a book constructed in accordance with the foregoing brief description is to permit the separation of the covers there of any distance apart within the telescopic limits of the post c c to accommodate papers iiled between the same. The lock is to confineand retain the covers in any position to which they may be adjusted. This lock comprises a 4casing D, which is preferably of a rectangular shape and of a width corresponding to the depth of the back portion of the book, but not exceeding that of the plates B and C, to the former, B, of which it is con-` nected at one end. The length of this casing is such that when the covers are as near together as possible it will almost touch plate O, and its thickness preferably does not exceed the diameter of posts o.

Except as hereinafter explained, casing D is iilled in between its sides, and it. is secured to plate B by means of a countersunk screw d, tappedlongitudinally into it or otherwise. Next the forward edge of the casing it is provided with a longitudinal opening which forms a guideway e for the reciprocal bolt E, which latter preferably consists of a bar of metal which is rectangular in cross-section, is secured to the plate O at one end by screwing it into the same or otherwise, and has its longitudinal side opposite that nearest the adjacent side edge of said casing provided with transverse serrations g. The casingD is also provided with an oblique guideway F, which strikes at an angle of about forty-five degrees into and communicates with guideway c, preferably nearest the end of the casing opposing plate O. Movable longitudinally in this oblique guideway F is a parallelograin-shaped dog G, the end edges of which are preferably parallel with the longitudinal edges of the casing, and the end of which adapted to vcome in contact with the boltE is correspondingly serrated, so as to engage the serrations g of the same. When the book is turned so that the position of the lock is as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the dog G will gravitate down into engagement with bolt E and intermesh with the serrations thereof, so as to prevent the further separation of the covers of loo the book. When, however, the position of the book is reversed, as shown in Fig. 2, the dog will gravitate back into guideway F and release the bolt, so that the book-covers may be separated farther apart, according as desired.

In order to prevent the possibility of bolt E moving longitudinally out of the guideway e, I can provide its free end with a stop-lugf and can continue the oblique or inclined side of guideway F nearest the end of the casing opposing plate C toward the serrated side of the bolt to such an extent that said stop-lug 'will impinge against the same and prevent the removal of the bolt from the casing. Of course this feature of the bolt might be dispensed with. I prefer its use, however.

In order to lock the dog G in its position out of engagement with bolt E whenever it is desired to give the covers unrestricted play, I have provided a set-screw K of suiiicient length, which is tapped longitudinally into the casing nearest the side edge thereof opposite guideway e and when properly manipulated is adapted to bite against said dog. This set-screw, however, may be dispensed with.

I do not desire to be confined to the exact construction and disposition of the devices forming the essential feature of my invention as hereinbefore described, as it is obvious modifications of the same could be made Wherebythe same results would be obtained.

The operation of my invention is substantially as follows: When the contents of a book are sufcient to exert an expansive or outward pressure on the covers, the effect is to lock said covers in their relative positions. Should it be desired to unlock said covers while this condition of expansivity exists, the book is turned to the position shown in Fig. 2 and pressure exerted against the plates B and C to move them nearer together. This releases the dog, which thereupon gravitates out of engagement with the bolt E and leaves the covers free to be separated farther apart. When separated to the extent desired, the book is reversed, so that said lock will be in the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings,

whereupon said plates B and C are pressed toward each other, and the dog engages the bolt and locks said covers into their adjusted position.

What I claim as new isl. The combination in expansible backframes for books with the transversely-adjustable parallel plates to which the rear edges of the covers are respectively connected, of a casing attached to one of said plates and projecting towardthe other, a bolt secured to the opposite plate and movable 1ongitudinally in said casing, and a gravity-operated device in said casing for engaging and locking said bolt.

2. The combination in expansible backframes for books with the Vtransversely-adj ustable parallel plates to which the rear edges of the covers are respectively connected, of a casing attached to one of said plates and projecting toward the other, a bolt secured to the. opposite plate, and an unattached confined gravity-operated device in said casing for engaging and locking said bolt.

3. The combination in eXpansible ,backframes for books with the transversely-adj ustable parallel plates to which the rear edges of the covers are respectively connected, of a casing attached to one of said plates, a bolt, secured to the opposite plate and movable longitudinally in said casing, and an obliquely-inovable gravity-operated device in said casing for engaging and locking said bolt.

4. The combination in expansible backframes for books with the transversely-adj ustable parallel plates to which the rear edges of the covers are respectively connected, of a casing attached to one of saidplates, a bolt secured to the opposite plate and movable longitudinally in said casing, and an obliquelymovable and unattached conned gravity-operated device in said casing for engaging and locking said bolt.

5. The combination in books having expansible back-frames with the transversely-adj ustable parallel plates to which the rear edges of the covers are respectively connected, of a casing attached to one of said plates a bolt having one of its sides serrated which is secured to the opposite plate and is movable longitudinally in said casing, and a gravity-operated device provided with serrations which is movably confined in said casing and adapted to engage said bolt as and forthe purpose set forth.

6. The combination in books having expansible back-frames with parallel plates to which the rear edges of the covers are respectively connected, of a casing attached. to one of said plates, a bolt secured to the opposite plate and having one of its sides serrated and movable longitudinally in said casing, of a gravity-operated device having serrations and movably confined in said casing in a plane oblique to that of said bolt, which it is adapted to engage, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination in books having expansible back-frames withythe parallel plates to which the rear edges of the respective covers are connected, and which are adjustable to the saine transverse plane, of a casing attached to one of said plates having a longitudinal guideway therein, and havinga guideway arranged in an oblique plane to and communicating with said longitudinal guideway, a bolt secured to the opposite plate and movable in the longitudinal guideway of said casing, and a gravity-operated device movable freely in said oblique guideway and adapted to engage said bolt, as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination in books having expansible back-frames with parallel plates to which the rear edges of the covers are respectively IOO IIO

connected, of a oase attached to one of said plates, and having a longitudinal guideway therein, an oblique guideway communicating therewith, a bolt secured to the opposite plate `and movable in said longitudinal guideway,

, p a gravityoperated device movable length- Wise in said oblique guideway, and a set-screw tapped into said oblique guideway and adapted to engage said gravity-operated device, as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination in books having expansible back-frames with the parallel plates to Which the rear edges of thecovers are respecltively connected, of a casing attached to one of said plates, a bolt secured to the opposite plate having a stop-lug projecting from its `free end which enters a restricted openingin `said casing and is movable longitudinally in "the same, and a gravity-operated device in said casing for engaging said bolt, as and for 10. The combination in books having expan- `sible back-frames, with the parallel plates to 3, l `Which the rear edges of the covers are respec- `tively connected, and which are adjustable `in the same transverse plane, of a casing attached to one of said plates having a longiitudiual guideway the opening of which at @j i y the end of the casing adjacent to the opposite plate is less in dimension than the por- `tion Within said casing, and having an oblique 1 `guideway communicating With said longituf @dinal guideway, a bolt secured to the oppo-V 1 p `site plate and entering said casing through and having its free end provided with a lateral stop-lug, and a freely-movable gravityoperated dog reciprocal in said oblique guide- Way and having serrations which are adapted to engage the serrations of said bolt, as and for the purpose set forth.

ll. The combination with books having eX- pansible back-frames, With the parallel plates to which the rear edges of the covers are respectively connected, and which are adjustable :in the same transverse plane, of a casing attached to one of said plates having a longitudinal guideway the opening of which at the end of thev casing adjacent to the opposite plate is less in dimension than the por tion within said casing, and having an oblique guideway communicating with said longitudinal guideway, a bolt secured to the opposite plate and entering said casing through said restricted opening, and having its side serrated and having its free end provided with a lateral stop-lu g, a freely-movable gravityoperated dog reciprocal in said oblique. guide- Way and having serrations which are adapted to engage the serrations of said bolt, and aV set-screw tapped into said casing and adapted to engage said dog, as and for the purpose 

